Improved cab-coupling



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MORDEGAI DISNEY, 0F YSAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA." Letters Param No. 71,717, daad mamar s, 1867.

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T0 ALL WHOM I'l MAY CONCERN:

Beit known that I, MORDECAI DISNEY, of San Francisco, county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented an Improved Car-Coupling; and I de hercby declare the following description and accompanying drawings are suilicient to enable any person skilled in the art or science to whichit most nearly appertains to make and use my said invention or improvement without further invention or experiment.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved self-coupling attachment for railroad-cars, by the use of which the danger of going between the cars is avoided. The cars may be easily disconnected at any time by means of a lever, while in case ot' accident, as when some cars are thrown from the track, they may be instantly disconnected from those remaining in place. I This device may also be used where-only a part of the cars are fitted with it, as the ordinary link is used, and they will connect with the common couplings equally as well as with each other.

The coupling is constructed by attaching to the car a hollow bar, with an expanded mouth at one end to receive and direct a link. The upper side of the bar is a movable plate or lip, kept down by a spring from behind. A tongue of stecl'projeets upward, from the lower lip ot' the bar, to a suiiicient height, to hold the link, the upper lip rising to admit it, and immediately closing after it passes the tongue against which it rests. A lever is very simply arranged, by which, at any time, the cars may be easily disconnected.

To more fully explain my invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawings, forming a. part of vthis specication, et' which- Figure 1 is a top view. I

Figure 2 is a. side sectional view, with the link in place.

Figure 3 is a side sectional view, withthe lever` raised to release the link.

Figure4 is an end sectional view.

Similar letters of reference in each ofthe drawings indicate like parts. y A is the hollow coupling-bar, having an expanded mouth, as shown at B, which receives and directs the link as it approaches. A lip or plate, C, is fitted into the upper part of the opening in the bar, and turns on the pin a; the spring D, fastened to the back part of the bar, keeping it in place, as shown. Through the lower lip of the mouth' of the bar a steel catch, b, is inserted, the front edge of which is bevelled off to allow the couplinglink to slide easily over it, while the back edge is suliiciently inclined to retain the link after it has passed. The plate VC rises as the link passes over the catch, andis pressed down by the spring after it has passed, thus retaining it in place. .A short lever, E, is placed below the end of the link, and is supported on an axis, the outer end of which is bent'so as to form a crank er lever, F, by which E is operated, so that by turning the lever F slightly backward, thearm E is raised to such a height as to permit the link G te pass over the catch b. In order that the arm E may remain elevated, when desired', so that the link can be withdrawn at any time, a catch, d, is let into one sido of the opening in the bar. Near the bottoni of this catch is a pro.- jection, "c, and at the middle another projection, 27, so that when the plate C rises, it cornes in contact with the projection z', and throws the lower onee, out, so that the bottom of the arm E rests upon it, After the link has been withdrawn, tbe .plate C falls, and pressing against z', forces c back so far as, to prevent the lever E falling back to its place and be ready for coupling again.

Having thus described my inventionA,-what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, are-` 1. A car-coupling, having a movable retaining-lip, C, catch b, and the detaching-lever E, the whole constructed and operating substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

2. The automatic catch d, constructed and operating substantially as and for the purpose described.

Y In witness whereof, I-have hereunto set my hand and seal.

MORDECAI DISNEY. [L s] Witnessesz` C. W. M. SMITH, Gao. H. STRONG. 

